Plastic clasp



Jan. 20, 1970 b PIERRQ ET AL 3,490,805

PLASTIC CLASP Filed Jan. 15, 1968 INVENTORS Dana/d P. Masiro iro Misha J. DIP/arm United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 292258 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A clasp for securing lids to containers comprises a polypropylene hinge body containing a self-hinging area to provide the necessary flexibility for unclasping the clasp, the hinge body having an arcuate hinge bearing portion adapted to fit around a hinge pin of a member fitted with a clasping lip.

Our invention is a novel clasp useful for securing lids to containers. This clasp has advantages heretofore unknown to the art in that it can comprise only two pieces which are conveniently made by injection molding. Clasps capable of functioning for their intended use are obtained after simple cleaning of runners and assembly of two pieces by snapping them together. One of the two pieces, which will hereinafter be referred to as the hinge body, should be made of polypropylene since its construction incorporates a section of diminished thickness which provides a self-hinging area necessary to the operation of our clasp. The other piece, hereinafter called the frame, is desirably made of polypropylene because of its excellent durability when employed in molded articles, though it can be made of other polymers having similar properties, such as high-density polyethylene. A better understanding of our novel clasp can be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawing and the figures contained therein.

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of our novel clasp lying face down. The frame 1 and its relationship to the hinge body 2 are apparent from this figure. The representation of the clasp shows it as it would appear to an observer when afiixed to a container and in the closed or snapped position.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-section of our clasp taken along section line 22 of FIGURE 1. This shows an inner face head 3, which co-acts with a projection on the secured lid of a container to hold the clasp in place. The hinge pin 4 is shown at the base of the clasp section where it provides a connection to an arcuate portion of the hinge body 2. This hinge pin is conveniently made as an integral part of the frame holding, though it could be a. separate piece. Hinge body 2 is made with arcuate portion 6 shaped so as to encircle hinge pin 4 to an extent sufficient to hold it in place while being discontinuous to an extent sufficient to permit the arcuate portion 6 of the hinge body 2 to be snapped in place over hinge pin 4. Hinge body 2 also contains a portion of diminished thickness 7 which furnishes, in a known way, a self-hinging area. The end portion 8 of the hinge body 2 is adapted for friction fit or snap fit into a matching receptacle on the body of a container on which the clasp is to be used, though it could be secured by any of several means, including mechanical fasteners such as screws.

FIGURE 3 is a back view of the clasp which provides a better understanding of the relationship of inner face bead 3, hinge pin 4, hinge body 2, arcuate portion 6, self-hinging area 7 and end portion 8. This view shows the position of the elements of our clasp when snapped in place against the side of a container whose lid is being retained. Parts 9 and 9a are reinforcing ribs running the length of the clasp frame in order to give it additional r3 CC rigidity. Parts 10 and 10a are similar reinforcing segments for the base of the clasp where it attaches to hinge pin 4.

FIGURE 4 is a representation of our clasp in place on a container and securing the lid of such container. Inner face bead 3 is fitted over a co-acting bead 12 on the lid of the container. The hinge body 2 is shown flexed inwardly at self-hinging area 7 so as to maintain tension upon the clasp at inner face bead 3, thereby securing the clasp and the container lid in place. Reinforcing member 13 on the hinge body 2 provides structural rigidity between the arcuate portion 6 and the projection of hinge body 2 which is a grip adapted for grasping and unlatching the clasp. As can be seen from the drawing, the clasp can be affixed to the container whose lid it retains by securing the end portion 8 of the hinge body 2 in a suitable closely fitting enclosure 14 formed in or attached to the container. The end portion 8 and the enclosure 14 may be fitted with interlocking raised beads and depressions in order to prevent easy withdrawal of the end portion from the enclosure. Various configurations of reinforcing ribs and variations in structure can be effected by those skilled in the art having knowledge of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. An article of manufacture comprising:

(1) a frame having:

(a) opposed end pieces, and

(b) side frame members connecting said opposed end pieces, one of said end pieces having shaped therein (0) a bead on the inner face of said end piece, the other of said end pieces having fitted therein ((1) a hinge pin, said hinge pin being associated with;

(2) a polypropylene hinge body having molded therein an arcuate portion adapted to snap fit over said hinge pin, said hinge body having a projection forming:

(a) a grip end spaced from said arcuate portion and at the other end of said hinge body from said grip (b) a section of diminished thickness providing a self-hinging area, said self-hinging area connecting the major portion of the hinge body to (c) an end portion adapted for securing said hinge body to a surface.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein said hinge pin is an integrally molded part of one of said end pieces of said frame.

3. The article of claim 2 wherein said end portion adapted for securing said hinge body is fitted with a raised bead adapted for securing said end portion in an enclosure fitted with a receptacle for said raised bead.

4. The article of claim 3 wherein said frame is a onepiece molding of polypropylene.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,773,693 8/1930 Stirrup 292113 3,181,905 5/1965 Bisbing 292109 3,324,930 6/ 1967 Colombo --231 FOREIGN PATENTS 575,086 4/1924 France.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner R. L. WOLFE, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 292-413 

